Savile Row Pays DC a Visit with a “Tailored Tea”

Written by Jamie, Fashion/Style Editor

November 16, 2015

Kathryn Sargent, the founder and Head Cutter of Kathryn Sargent Bespoke, joined guests for a “Tailored Tea” and “Wine and Design” reception last month, hosted by the historic luxury boutique hotel, The Jefferson. At the Tailored Tea, Kathryn (pictured, top) provided media, bloggers and style critics an exclusive tutorial on bespoke tailoring, including the history of Savile Row and its application to the fashion industry here in the US. Guests enjoyed the traditional afternoon tea with lite bites, and sipped on the “Suit Yourself” cocktail (served in tea cups!), made with gin and The Jefferson’s own house-made honey cinnamon syrup with chamomile. At the following evening’s Wine & Design reception, Kathryn provided a detailed demonstration of the different stages of the tailoring process, from the drawing and cutting of patterns to the precise garment stitching. Kathryn’s wide range of beautifully crafted garments was on display including: Lady’s evening suit and Men’s Seersucker Jacket (pictures 2 and 3). Guests enjoyed select wines from Plume, DC’s only five-star restaurant in The Jefferson. In honor of Kathryn’s visit, wines from famous female winemakers from all over the world were featured including a 2013 Portuguese Alvarhino and 2012 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir.

As the first female head of bespoke tailoring with a Savile Row firm in London’s Mayfair region, Kathryn has worked with a variety of prestigious clients including leading members of the British and other Royal families, stage and screen actors, politicians, and industry leaders. Kathryn spent her early career working alongside Robert Gieve, known as the “Father” of Savile Row and head of one of the last old family owned firms. Kathryn has gone on to win the prestigious master tailors “Golden Shears” trade award in 2000 and is now a technical judge for the award, supporting new talent and her own apprentices!

The year 2015 has been quite the exciting one for for Kathryn who was asked to launch the first ever London Craft Week with HRH the Prince of Wales and HRH the Duchess of Cornwall, and Kathryn Sargent Bespoke was invited to participate as an event lead brand! Kathryn also headlined the “Tailored: A Very British Fashion” exhibition in her home town of Leeds, England, where she created a number of display pieces entered into the archive of the Leeds Museum. And, just this past May, Kathryn participated in the Savile Row Bespoke exhibition, “Savile Row & America: A Special Relationship” at the British Ambassador’s residence here in DC!

In celebration of the Tailored Tea and Wine & Design events, Kathryn graciously designed a Grey Heritage Military Canine Coat (pictured, bottom) for The Jefferson’s Lord Monticello, the Executive Canine Officer or ECO, also known as “Monti,” with pockets for business cards, of course! The Jefferson is a pet friendly hotel and Monti takes his “ruff” duties very seriously like playing with canine hotel guests, accepting belly rubs, and supporting his favorite charity, Paw Rescue , who introduced him to The Jefferson.

Next year, Kathryn will join The Jefferson again on February 25-28, June 17-19, and November 18-20 for “Tailored Weekends,” where guests staying at one of the hotel’s 23 deluxe suites can enjoy a personalized consultation with Kathryn while tasting wines selected specifically to reflect the suites’ themed décor. In the meantime, you can follow Kathryn Sargent Bespoke on her website and Twitter, and follow The Jefferson Hotel via their website , Facebook, and Twitter for all the latest updates and events. You can also follow the adorable Lord Monti on Twitter with hashtags #LordMonti and #tuesdayswithmonti !